


How to Save Galaxies and Annoy Siblings

by WateryMind



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Oh god run, Run, The Twins Shepard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-30
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-07-27 16:51:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7626451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WateryMind/pseuds/WateryMind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannah Shepard gave birth to twins. The galaxy trembled in horror. "This is a truly awful plan that will surely end in our deaths." "And?" "Sure, why not? I'm bored."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Illusive Dicks Plan is Rubbish.

**Author's Note:**

> Mass Effect is the property of Bioware and EA. Money grabbing bastards.

Magenta Shepard was having a real shit day. First off, there was the whole 'you've been dead for two years' thing. That probably made everything afterwards a little bit small in comparison, but Magenta Shepard was good at a few things, with being a broody bitch being near the top.

Then, there was the thing with the mechs and the attempted murder and the actual murder. She felt her eye twitch at that thought. Who the fuck did Miranda think she was, Queen Bitch of the Galaxy?  _Fuck. That. That's my title._ And then she went and dragged up memories of the whole Saren Clusterfuck as if it happened yesterday. Which, to Magenta, it basically did.

And then there was the Illusive Man. Sweet mother of Christ, Magenta just wanted to shoot him. She had been to Cerberus bases during the Saren Shitstorm, and none of them were any fun. The only time anything good came out of those was when she found that data on what exactly those Dragon's Teeth things did to people. Predictably, Cerberus found that out through actually shoving people onto them.

And finally there was Freedom's Progress. Cause that place wasn't an entire world of creepy. A colony that size doesn't just fucking vanish without anyone noticing something. Luckily, someone did. Magenta hoped that Veetor got some serious help back at the Migrant Fleet. Still, she was slightly miffed that Tali didn't come with her. Lord knows she missed her little sister analog.

So, all in all, a fairly shit day. The only positive thing about it was, at some point, it had to end. Which it was getting fairly close to. And as she listened to the Illusive Man's 'offer', her arms folded in her typically standoffish manner, Magenta Shepard blew a stray strand of dark red hair from her eyes, before wincing at the spike of pain from her imparts. She really needed to get that fixed.

"… Go to Omega. Find Mordin Solus. He's a brilliant Salarian scientist, and our intelligence suggest he may be able to come up with a way to counter the Collector's seeker swarms." Magenta huffed, before unfolding her arms and pushing her hair from her face, her Tech Armor pulsing in time with the movement.

"Sure, why not? Second thing?" The Illusive Man's face shifted ever-so-slightly, and Magenta wondered if he was internally smirking. "I've found a pilot I think you might like. I hear he's one of the best. Someone you can trust." And as the QEC feed was cut, Magenta heard footsteps, and then a familiar voice.

"Hey Commander. Just like old times, huh?" Holy shit it was Joker. And was he walking? Wow, I have been gone two years. And as the pilot she trusted more then any other lead her to a new part of the station, explaining what had happened, Magenta caught sight of a man standing at a window, staring out at it. As she approached, massive lights came to life, illuminating a massive, but familiar, shape.

"… They only told me last night." The man beside the window then snorted, and Magenta frozen at the familiar sound.  _Oh no fucking way, not you too…_

"I've known for two months. Then again, my last name tends to have a bit of weight around here." And then the man turned to face them and oh god it's him. Same brown eyes, same face. The same as hers. The smirk was a little smaller, and there were new scars, and he desperately needed a haircut and shave, and his armor was most definitely not Alliance spec. Or Cerberus, for that matter. But it was  _him._

"Well, I suppose it's good to be back, hmm?" Markus Shepard asked, his eyes sparkling with emotion. Magenta nodded dumbly, not quite knowing how to word the phase _I'm sorry for dying in front of you_ strongly enough. But then the smirk shifted into a small, happy smile, and tears welled up and oh god now she was going to cry.

"Hey, Markus."

"Sup sis."


	2. Space PTSD is a Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mass Effect is property of Bioware and EA. 
> 
> This is your warning. Things get a bit... Triggery, in this chapter

Miranda's perfect, sculpted jaw was looking more and more punchable the more words fell out of it, Magenta concluded. They had been on-board the SR2 for all of 5 seconds before the wannabe Queen Bitch had decided that she was second in command, and started verbally vomiting 'suggestions' about what to do next. Even worse, the ships AI agreed with her. The only reason that there wasn't a AI core currently drifting in the vacuum of space was that Magenta was just too damn tired to give a damn.

“Miranda. Shut up.” The words fell out of her mouth before she thought about them, and then she did think about them and didn't give a flying fuck. Miranda, for her part, spluttered, obviously not used to being so bluntly shot down.

“Buh- What, Shepard?” she managed to piece together. And then, to Magenta's immeasurable relief, her personal guardian angel stepped in before she said anything else.

“She's tired, Miranda. Not to mention probably still coming to grips with the whole 'coming back from the dead' thing. Just, find your posts and leave her alone for the evening,” Markus said, somehow managing to be both reasonable and sarcastic in the same sentence. As the Bitch and Jacob, bless his already loyal soul, left the CIC, Magenta sighed deeply and rubbed her forehead.

“Thank you,” she murmured. Markus nodded, a crooked smile crawling onto his face. He patted her back gently, before leaning on the railing beside her.

“Well, we have an impossible mission, a ship full of spying equipment, crewed by people that are most likely reporting our every word to their boss, and a list of people that may or may not try to kill us before they'll come aboard.” He paused for a moment, before dusting his hands off and smirking. “So an average work week for us. Omega?” Magenta nodded.

“Omega. Got three dossiers that point there. Go there, get intel, make decisions as we go.” Markus snorted.

“So, in other words, we'll make it up as we go?” he said, laughter and something else, something sadder, in his eyes. Magenta chuckled, before running a hand through her hair. _God, I need a shower. Preferably one that lasts forever._

“Yeap, pretty much.”

* * *

 

The feeling of hot water running down her back should have been more comforting. She always loved steaming hot showers, ever since she was a child. Now, however... All she felt was the water running along the grooves and cracks in her skin, the dull stabs of pain reminding her of what she was. As she stood there, the adrenaline that had been pounding through her ever since she woke up fading, her mind drifted, the sounds of the shower and the ship around her fading into silence... 

 

“ _Shepard, NO!” “MAGENTA!” And then she was floating. The silence was all-consuming. All there was was the sound of her breathing and the hiss of cracks in her armor and oh god I can't breathe everything burns help me markus why me why..._

 

Magenta screamed and lashed out with a fist, smashing it into the wall, cracking the tiling and denting the steel underneath. Eyes wide, chest heaving as her breathing became erratic, she fumbled for the water controls, ignoring the fact that she had just punched a wall hard enough to leave a dent and not felt a thing. Stumbling from the wet shower, she wiped her hand across the mirror and stared at her reflection. _What is this? I'm not human. I'm not ME!_ Staring at the image in front of her, the glowing cracks in her skin, the faint orange ting to her blue eyes, she couldn't think, couldn't even comprehend, what had happened to her. _I... I died. And then I came back. And that... That..._ A horrific heaving feeling came from her stomach, and Magenta dashed for the toilet, before emptying her stomach into it. And as the heaving faded, her stomach well and truly empty, Magenta Shepard started to sob. _I died. I left them behind. And now here I am. How can I face them?_

“Magenta! You alright?” Markus' voice came from the door as the sound of his fist pounding against steel echoed through her quarters.

“ _Commander Shepard, shall I open the door?_ ” And there was the reminder that the Illusive Man probably had her breakdown on tape, ready for him to enjoy alongside a glass of whatever he drunk. _I REALLY am going to shoot him._

“Y... Yes, EDI. Let him in.” She hated the crack in her voice, the small stumble in her words. There was the sound of the doors sliding open, rushing feet, and then the bathroom door was shoved open. In seconds, Markus had her on her feet, wrapped in the largest towel he could find, his hands gripping her shoulders with equal parts concern and desperation.

“Oh 'Genta... You're a goddamn mess, aren't you?” he said softly, leading her to her bed. A strangled sob and a nod was his answer. Gently guiding her down, Markus then sat beside her and hugged her close, his newly trimmed goatee rasping against her forehead. She sobbed once more, a hand grabbing his shoulder to anchor her, to remind her that he was _there_ and _real_.

“Yeah... I am... Jesus fucking Christ, I _died._ You don't get up from that as if nothing happened!” she said, shocked at how harsh the words sounded. Having known her literally his entire life, Markus ignored the tone and instead took the message.

“I know. Well, I _don't_. But I get what you're saying.” Sighing, he then pushed her back slightly, so he could look her in the eye. _The same. Our eyes are the same. Mum always said we have our father's eyes..._ “I'm here. I'll stay as long as I have to. You my fucking sister, 'Genta. More then that, you're my twin. And I've only got one of those, and I _really_ don't want to lose it again.” And there it was, that damn way of his. Making her smile, no matter what.

“Stay here? Just for tonight. I... I probably won't be sleeping, anyway.” A deep, shuddering breathing, and her smile grew. “And I could use the company, Mark.” He nodded, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

 

Then again, it probably was.

 

**-AO3 BONUS SCENE-**

 

It took her hours to fall asleep. Hours of talking, of him listening, hugging, comforting. He knew that she was in pain, more pain then he could imagine. What kind of twin brother would he be, if he couldn't see the signs. Looking at her now, tossing and turning in her sleep, Markus ran a hand through his hair and sighed wearily.

"God above, 'Genta. I don't know how to make you better, but I'm gonna try." Standing, he made for the door, only to stop when he heard a small sound of distress from her. Sighing once more and staring at the ceiling once more, Markus sighed, before keying the intercom.

"Hey Joker." " _Yeah, Mark?"_ "Take the scenic route, would you?" There was silence for a moment.  _"Sure thing."_ Markus then opened a cupboard and pulled out a blanket, before dimming the lights and climbing onto the couch. 

"G'night, sis."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, this one was probably the hardest for me to write. I ain't no psychologist.

**Author's Note:**

> Important parts of the timeline because I'm not writing ME1 because I hate that game's gameplay with a burning passion:
> 
> No romances, Wrex lived to "Shepard" another day, the Rachni Queen didn't interface with the business end of a flamethrower, The Council got saved for whatever reason, Saren got talked to death and I never actually play Bring Down the Sky but lets just say neither Shepard had a fun time.


End file.
